By Dominick Rodrigues
Mumbai, : Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, launched here recently the fifth Scorpene submarine of Project-75 – ‘Vagir,’ while also cementing India’s position as a Submarine Building Nation, in tune with the spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India.
This submarine was launched through video conferencing by Mrs Vijaya Shripad Naik, wife of Union Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik, who was the Chief Guest on the occasion. The Chief of Staff, Western Naval Command – Vice Admiral RB Pandit, Chairman & Managing Director, MDL – Vice Admiral Narayan Prasad and other Directors of MDL were also present at the launching ceremony. The Chief of Materials, Indian Navy, and CWP&A (Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition) – Vice Admiral SR Sarma and Additional Secretary, Defence Industries Production – Shri Sanjay Jaju also joined the function through video conferencing from New Delhi.
‘Vagir’, — ex-Russia and named after the +Sand Fish+ , a deadly deep sea predator of the Indian Ocean — was commissioned into the Indian Navy on December 3, 1973, and then decommissioned on June 7, 2001, after almost three decades of yeoman service to the nation. In true nautical tradition, she finds a new incarnation in the same name – Vagir – and has been infused with new life by Mazagon Dock once again as a very powerful predator of the deep in guarding the vast maritime interests of the nation.
The state-of-the-art technology utilized in the rebuilt Scorpene has ensured superior stealth features (such as advanced acoustic absorption techniques, low radiated noise levels, hydro-dynamically optimised shape etc.) and the ability to launch an attack on the enemy using precision guided weapons. The attack can be launched underwater or on surface with both torpedoes and tube-launched anti-ship missiles. The stealth of this potent platform is enhanced by the special attention provided to her characteristic underwater signatures and these stealth features give it an invulnerability unmatched by most submarines, according to MDSL officials.
Scorpene submarines, which can undertake multifarious types of missions such as Anti-Surface warfare, Anti-Submarine warfare, Intelligence gathering, Mine Laying, Area Surveillance etc, have been designed to operate in all theatres of operation, thus showcasing interoperability with other components of a Naval Task Force and also as a potent platform that marks a transformational shift in submarine operations.
With the launch of Vagir, India further cements its position as a Submarine Building Nation and MDL has more than lived up to its reputation as ‘Warship and Submarine Builders to the Nation’ totally in sync with the current impetus of the Government towards ‘Make in India’ and ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’, the officials stated.
Two submarines of the ongoing Project-75 Scorpene programme at MDL — Kalvari and Khanderi — have been commissioned into the Indian Navy. The third submarine, Karanj, is in the last phase of rigorous sea trials, while the fourth Scorpene, Vela, has commenced her sea trials, and the sixth and last submarine, Vagsheer, is being readied for boot together. The Scorpene project is being supported by the Department of Defence Production (MoD) and Indian Navy throughout its various phases of construction, the officials added.
